Just Keeps Spinning
by Oh My Gold
Summary: Mr Gold feels like his life has fallen apart. Having just got divorced his ex-wife not only takes every penny he has but also has taken full custody of their son. Sitting in his car debating to go back to the bottle a beautiful women in a gold dress ask's him to drive her away from a fiancée she doesn't love and an overbearing, greedy father. AU. Modern day. RUMBELLE, Road Trip!
1. Chapter 1

Just Keeps Spinning

He was never going to see him again. He wasn't allowed to see the only person in the world he loved again. All because of his stupid mistake and the fact that his ex wife was a vindictive cow. He was fine with her asking for a divorce, relived even. He hadn't been surprised when she'd told him about the affair with the pirate and he hadn't been surprised when she'd demanded almost every penny he had but he couldn't believe Milah had now taken their son from him.

It was his own fault he supposed. Milah's argument that he had a drinking problem and so was not suitable to be a parent to Baelfire. The drinking problem wasn't true of course, Milah's lawyer dug up the few drink driving charges he'd had when he'd been a teenager. Despite the protests that dinking was no longer a problem and that he'd got help when he was younger the court had ruled that he was unfit parent.

All he could think was that he shouldn't have represented himself. He'd come to America from Scotland after law school and found success with Spencer and Co. He'd become one of the best family lawyers out there and earned a lot of money but now he had nothing. He'd gone up against Albert Spencer who was representing his wife and as a result of losing against him, he couldn't show his face at Spencer and Co. He had no job, Milah had taken a very large chunk of his money so he was broke and now he'd lost access to his son, that rambunctious eleven year old was the only good thing that came from his relationship with Milah.

It had all happened an hour ago. Rumford Gold still sat in the car park staring at the city hall. The place where his life had fallen apart. He thought how ironic it would be if now he started a drinking problem. He wouldn't though, he didn't want to ruin any slither of chance he got with Bae.

Gold watched as cars pulled up outside the city hall, all decorated with ribbon. It seemed someone was getting married, they were having the best day of their life while he was having the worst of his. He ran a hand through his hair and groaned. He needed to get away, he had nowhere to go, no one would care he was gone anyway.

Instead he looked down at the bottle of Johnny Walker whisky in his hand and fiddled with the cap, just one sip, it wouldn't matter, no one would know. One drop then he'd throw the rest of the bottle away.

…..

She checked herself in the mirror once more and still she thought she looked hideous. She felt like a clown. That wasn't supposed to be how she felt on her wedding day. It was because she didn't want this, she wanted anything but this.

Her father constantly told her how proud her mother would be of her but she couldn't help but not agree. Her mother would have wanted her to marry for love, not for obligation, not for guilt.

She'd met Gaston in high school. She didn't know why it was he'd noticed her but he had. As soon as her father had realised who Gaston was he'd seen dollar signs. Gaston was the son of a billionaire, not that Belle had ever cared but her father, with his failing florist business and rising debt saw that her match to Gaston could save him and the business her mother had started.

It was family obligation or her happiest. She'd thought that choosing to help her father would make her some sort of hero, but it just made her feel sick to her stomach and made her feel like a fraud. She didn't love Gaston and he didn't love her. He only cared about her looks, he wanted a wife who would look good on his arm and not have a brain, an opinion. He wanted an obedient little house wife. She groaned once again at her reflection.

Who wore gold on their wedding day anyway? she thought with a laugh, apparently she did. The gold dress billowed out at her waist like a bell and had large puffy sleeves. Her hair was all curled up on her head making her feel like some sort of poodle. Her whole outfit had been designed by some famous designer friend of Gaston's family.

She heard the door behind her open and saw in the mirror that her father had slipped in. "Oh Belle, you look beautiful" he almost gushed.

"Thank you Papa" Belle gave him a smile as he kissed her cheek.

"Are you ready, the ceremony's starting in a minute" he told her, it seemed he was far more excited than she was.

"Uh, can I have a minute Papa, I'll meet you outside the ceremony room" she suggested.

"Of course" Mo nodded before pressing a kiss to her forehead "Oh if only your mother was here" he mused before leaving Belle alone once more.

Belle turned to the mirror once more, her mother would not be proud. She took a deep breath before making her way to the door.

As she walked out and found herself in a hallway she noticed that at the opposite end of the hallway there was a door open where the last of the flowers were being quickly taken in.

Was it a sign? Her heart began to race. She could run outside that door and be free, she didn't know where she should go but she could just get away. She'd have nothing but her freedom. Something inside her told her that that door was open for her, she could get away from the provincial life of being a house wife, a mother to all of Gaston's children, to having her leech of a father live off of her.

Before she'd thought it through Belle slipped off her shoes, picked up the bottom of her dress and ran as quickly as she could out of the side door, hoping, no praying that Gaston on her father wouldn't notice soon. No one decided her fate but her.

Her heart beat faster with every step she took, her breathing become more and more rapid. Where would she go? What would she say when Gaston and her father finally caught up with her? As she walked, her brain kept planting doubts in her mind making part of her want to turn back.

The she saw it. The single black Cadillac in the car park. Something in her told her to go towards it, that it would save her.

Gold was still fiddling with the cap of the bottle of whisky, muttering curse words to himself as his mind was split into to. Open it. Not open it.

A light knock on the door window of his car made him jump in his seat. He all but threw the bottle of whiskey onto the back seat of the car. He looked out of the window, he couldn't see a face, only gold. A lot of gold material.

He wasn't sure why but he lent across the car and opened the door. As he did so he heard some men yelling from not far in the distance. He turned to look out the driver's side window and saw a tall skinny man wearing a very expensive suit looking very much a groom. He was yelling something obscene in Golds direction as he ran across the carpark. The younger man was then followed by an older burley guy who was doing the same.

Gold turned back to the passenger side of the card and found that a women in a gold dress was getting into his car. He was lost for words, everything was happening so fast.

The women's panicked blue eyes met his "I'll pay you all the money I have to drive me away from here" she told him.

He couldn't reply, he was struck by how beautiful she was, her soft brown curls framing her pretty features. His mouth was left agape.

"Please" she almost begged as she looked over Gold's shoulder to see her father and Gaston running towards them, getting closer. She feared that they would reach her before it was too late and drag her back to the alter and make her marry Gaston.

She watched as he shook his head "Sure" he nodded before starting the car, preparing to move away and then drove away speeding out of the car park just as Mo and Gary reached the car.

As they speeded down the street Gold's mind was reeling. Had a beautiful women in a gold dress really just jumped into his car, begging him to help her escape from the man she was going to marry.

He looked over to the passenger seat beside him. the mystery women was turned in her seat looking out of the window. It seemed it was indeed true.

….C\\_'/…..

**A/N: Hi, any and all suggestions welcome. Hope you like. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Where do you want me to take you?" Gold asked after about fifteen minutes of driving in a random direction.

Belle looked down at her hands that were folded on her lap on the pool of golden material that she was encased in. "I don't know" she mumbled "I can't go home" she mumbled "Gaston will be there and dad will be with him" she explained, Gaston had moved himself into her apartment as soon as they were engaged as she refused to move in with him in his uptown apartment.

"Crap" Belle mumbled before cradling her head in her hands.

"Everything okay?" Gold asked her, worried that he might have to take a left turn to the hospital.

Belle looked at him with a guilty expression on her face "I understand if you want to make me get out the minute I tell you this…but my purse is back at the apartment" she explained with a slight cringe.

"oh" Gold nodded "It'll have to be an IOU then" he almost grumbled. She'd half thought that he'd refuse to take the money like a decent person he seemed to be, but she guessed wrong.

"You can pull over here" Belle told him "I can walk to my friends" she admitted. Not liking this guys all of a sudden cold shoulder. Could someone really be so greedy over money.

He did as she said and pulled up at the side of the road. "Thank you for letting me get away, I'll send you the IOU as soon as possible" she told him before getting out of the car, her dressing getting caught on the door, she gave the gold satiny material a harsh tug which followed by a ripping sound.

She didn't care though, she shut the door behind her and began to walk down the road as she heard him pull away. For a small moment she thought that there was something in the mystery man but she guess she was wrong, she'd been wrong about Gaston maybe she was wrong about every guy.

Gold couldn't help but look as the woman as she walked away from the car. He hadn't meant to be so harsh. Milah was the only woman he'd been around in the last couple of years and so it just came natural that he was harsh. Now though he watched as the most beautiful women in the world walked down the street. The setting sun making her look a vision in Gold.

Her talking about how she had nowhere to go reminded him like a knife in the heart that he didn't have anything either, Milah was given the house as she had custody of Bae. He too had nowhere to go.

Before he'd even thought it through he pulled up beside the women in the golden dress. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him as he opened the door off the car once again "Do you just….Just wanna get out of here?" he asked.

Belle looked at him with a shocked expression "Where would we go?" she asked him.

Gold gave the young women an almost cocky grin before a shrug of his shoulders, "Anywhere" he admitted. To be honest he hadn't even thought beyond trying to persuade the beautiful women back into the car as creepy as it all sounded.

"So I go with you and….We just drive around for a while?" she asked him, her fingers playing with the large skirt of her gold dress.

"Yes" Gold nodded. He didn't have anything better to do, no job, no family, Nothing. Right now driving to the end of the world with a complete stranger just sounded like the perfect way to spend the rest of his life.

A smile graced her beautiful face, this man was a mystery. A mystery she really wanted to uncover. There was a mystery man in front of her offering an adventure. He seemed trust worthy enough for her to see no reason as to not go with him.

"Okay" she told him with a small smile before re approaching the car, sure that what she was about to do was insane but she had no other choice, it was go with a stranger or face the consequences of her now uncertain future.

She slipped carefully into the car shoving her dress in around her, she made a mental note to get rid of the dress the first chance she got. Once she'd put her seat belt on Gold started the car and they began their journey.

They drove for a while in silence. Belle resumed her position of staring out of the window watching as they drove further and further from town and joined the hustle and bustle of the motor way. Meanwhile Gold kept his eyes on the road, though every now and then he turned to look at the women beside him.

"Gold" he spoke after a while.

Belle turned to the man beside her, her cheeks reddened in a little embarrassment "Oh I know, not exactly the traditional white" she pulled at the pool of golden material around her "It was designed by some famous women or something. It's supposed to be modern and elegant " she began to mumble.

Gold couldn't help but chuckle "I meant my name. it's Gold… Robert Gold" he admitted before quickly looking her up and down "Though the dress is unusual yes but very beautiful on you" he admitted.

"Bright flame" Belle mumbled in response, her voice almost dreamy

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked her, his eyes still on the road.

The beauty cleared her throat before answering "Robert….It's Scottish, it means bright flame" she explained before turning once more to look out of the window. "Belle" she told him.

"Belle French" she continued as she turned to face him.

"Beautiful" Gold grinned, he couldn't help but note how fitting her name really was. She was definitely the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Why she'd put her faith in an ugly monster like him.

They drove for a few more miles in silence, both feeling a little awkward. Belle began to feel uncomfortable in her dress. She looked around and noticed that they were in the middle of a motor way with no service station for miles so she had nowhere to buy clothes any time soon, but she was becoming hot in the layers of gold silk.

She turned in her chair to look into the back seat, she noticed a duffle bag that was open a little and showed some sort of shirt she also noticed that on the back seat sat a bottle of unopened whisky . Belle put her arm through the narrow gap between the chair and door but her elbow got stuck and she just couldn't reach the bag.

Getting frustrated the beauty undid her belt and then turned to kneel on the chair. Gold saw the action out of the corner of his eye, it made him swerved the car which was followed with the sound of car horns.

"What are you doing? Put your seat belt back on!" he almost yelled at her as he looked from her to the road and back to her again.

"Got it" Belle squealed gleefully before plopping herself back in the passenger seat, the half open duffle bag now sat on her lap. "Why do you have a bag full of enough clothes for a suit. An expensive one at that?" she asked him as she pulled out the powder blue Armani dress shirt.

"In emergency…..Why are you going through my stuff?" he asked her.

"I need to get out of this dress" she confessed as she pulled out a pair of black slacks. She then began to untie the ribbons at the back of the dress that Gaston's mother had helped tie mere hours ago.

"Woah Woah woah" Gold almost scolded her as she began to get undressed beside him "There's a lay bye coming up, you can change when I pull over" he suggested.

"Thank you" Belle gave him a weak smile. She supposed that it would be highly inappropriate to get change with a stranger beside her. Perhaps he was much more a decent man than she thought he was.

A Few moments later He stood by the bonnet of his car, deciding to give Belle a little bit of privacy. He watched as the other cars passed them by. Gold ran a hand through his hair and tugged on the strands almost painfully. What was he doing? Practically kidnapping a pretty young women! No She'd gone with him voluntarily. He'd offered her a way out of her situation and she'd taken it.

God it was times like this he wished he hadn't quit smoking or quit drinking. He slammed his hands on the bonnet of the car.

"You okay?" He turned to find that Belle was wearing his black slacks and powdered blue shirt. The clothes were only a little baggy as Gold was a very slight man.

"I'm fine" He grumbled before looking her up and down, he couldn't help but think Armani had never looked better on any one. The pale blue of the shirt really brought out the intense colour of her eyes.

"Thank you for letting me wear your clothes" she gave him a small smile.

"It's no matter" he assured her as they both got back into the car. The Gold dress had now been shoved into the back seat of the car. "We'll stop tomorrow and get some more clothes" he suggested.

"And some food for the road perhaps?" Belle suggested as she did up her belt.

"Yes" Gold nodded before continuing "It's getting dark let's see if we can find a hotel" he suggested. Belle stifled a yawn and nodded as he began to drive away finding a gap in the traffic.

"If we have no luck with the hotel we can always use the gold dress as a tent" she suggested making them both laugh. Perhaps the road trip of sorts wouldn't be as awkward as first thought.

…..

**Hope you like this chapter! Any suggestions on road trip activity/stops you wanna see, I have a few ideas and the end sorted but would love in put from you guys.**


	3. Chapter 3

"You're kidding me!" Gold's voice practically boomed around the small reception area of the road side motel that he and his traveling companion had decided to stop at for the night.

Belle walked in with brown paper bags full of supplies they would need for the next couple of days of their road trip that she'd used his credit card to buy at gas station next door. "What's wrong?" She asked Robert as she came up behind him.

He turned to face her, his forehead wrinkled with stress. "We'll have to find a different motel" he told her as he made some flamboyant arm gestures.

"There are no rooms?" Belle asked.

"Exactly" Gold nodded.

"Not exactly true" the aging man behind the reception desk butted in "We have one room available"

"So what's the problem?" The brunet asked. Looking from the older man to Gold who looked rather frustrated and ran a hand through his grey streaked hair.

"It's a double bed" Gold explained rather hurriedly.

"And what's wrong with that?" The motel owner asked the other man.

"We'll take it" Belle assured the seemingly kind gentlemen.

Gold ran a tiered hand down his face "I'll say goodnight here then" he told her before heading for the door.

Belle spun and grabbed his arm, pulling him to her "Where are you going?" she asked him.

"To sleep in the car" he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Belle couldn't help but smile at him. He watched her lips quirk up into a delicate smile and it sent a strange warming sensation to his heart, something he hadn't felt in a long time if ever before.

"That wont be very comfortable" she mussed aloud, loving that without a second though he was a gentle man, didn't assume that she would share a room with him.

"Ill use the dress as a blanket" he suggested with a slight cheekiness that had belle hooked.

Belle reached out and took his hand in hers, his calloused thumb brushed her knuckles ever so slightly sending a shiver down her spine "Come on, we can share a room, I don't bite" she called over her shoulder as she dragged them to the room they were going to share

Gold could have sworn he'd heard her mumble 'much' moments later, either way it making him take a deep intake of breath. It wasn't belle he was afraid of it was himself.

….

Sometime later Gold started a fire in their room, he got a cushion and sat in front of the fire, his suit jacket having been disposed of on the back of the chair, his tie hung loose around his neck and shirt untucked from his waist.

Belle walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a complimentary robe, her dark hair still damp from the shower, she stood in the doorway for a moment, admiring the sight of her road companion, looking far more relaxed than he had done in the past hours she had known him.

Robert wasn't the tallest or brawniest of men, he was petite and slight, his hair long, perhaps too long some considered, older than her, by how much she didn't know but she felt comfortable, safe even with him.

"So why the smart attire?" she asked him after a moment, pushing off of the door jam and making her way over to Gold, sitting beside him in front of the fire.

"Always like to look my best" he gave her a cheeky grin to disguise the lie he had told her. Belle smiled at him as she pulled the fluffy white robe over her shoulder from where it had fallen, aware of Gold averting his eyes from her.

Gold looked at the dancing flames of the fire as it burnt. The air around him seemed to heat up. He wasn't sure if it was a result of the fire or as a result of being near a beautiful women.

"So why the Gold dress?" he asked after a moment, he'd concluded from the two men running after her and the wedding party he'd seen that she was possibly the bride in question.

"It was my wedding dress" she explained with a sharp intake of breath as the true realisation of what she'd done. Belle cradled her head in her hands for a moment.

"Are you alright?" Gold asked, worried that he might have offended her with such a simple question. Part of him wanted to reach out and assure her that she was okay. He didn't know what was happening to him, he'd never been that sort of person.

"Yes" Belle sighed "I just….I've just not thought about what I'm going to do now" she confessed.

"I can take you back?" Gold suggested "Just say the word" he spoke, his voice all of a sudden soft with his Scottish brogue.

"NO!" she almost yelled with her tear stained blue eyes as she reached out to touch his arm lightly. "I can't go back" Belle added "I don't want to go back".

Robert gave the young women an assuring smile "All you have to do is say" he almost whispered as Belle moved closer to him.

"I…i…I've let so many people down" Belle sighed "My father was relying on me, my friends put so much effort into the wedding….My mother" she took a breath not able to finish her sentence. Shaking her head she looked up, her blue eyes met his kind brown. Why did she feel like she could just spill her guts to him and he would not judge her nor tell another soul what she'd confessed.

"Food?" Belle suggested after a moment. Moving from her place right next to him and getting up and walking over to the double bed where the brown paper bag of snacks lay.

She made her way over to him and knelt before him opening the contense of the bag. "Tooth brushes" she said as she pulled them out of the bag and offered him one that was blue, hers was yellow and there was a tooth paste as well, the rest of the items included razors for both of them, shampoo and conditioner, soap, deodorants, bottles of water. The final thing she produced was a packet of Oreos.

"What are they?" he asked her, the shocked expression on his face made Belle break out into a grin in response.

"They're biscuits you eat them" she told him, Robert just gave her a look that told her he didn't believe her. "They're really good" she assured him in an almost sing song voice that made him half believe her.

"They look like there for children" Gold told her as he watched her open the pack of cookies.

"Just wait till you try one" Belle grinned at him before offering him a biscuit from the now open packet.

He took one of the chocolate biscuit's cautiously, she watched him as he took a bite, he felt rather awkward having her stare at him as he ate one of the biscuits that she loved and felt so passionate about.

"What do you think?" She asked him almost fluttering her eyes at him hoping to get a positive response.

"ish goof" he told her with his mouth still full of the biscuit and cream mixture. Belle smiled, a little giggle of delight past her lips she then reached for the packet of biscuits he held in his hands but he held them out of her reach with a playful grin.

"Hey!" she almost squealed as she reached for them again but he once again held them out of her reach. This time she lunged at him, making them both fall to the floor.

They lay for a moment in front of the fire, Belle rested on top of Robert, the packet of Oreo's now lay forgotten on the floor. The only sound in the room was from the traffic outside and the creaking from the wood as it burned in the fire place.

Gold looked into Belle's eyes, he really looked at her for the first time. She was beautiful, she was really beautiful. Her pale complexion, ruby red lips, chestnut brown curls and her eyes, the ocean blue eyes. But there was something hidden, a tiredness, a need to be free, for adventure. He took a deep breath, he really should have stayed in the car for the night.

Meanwhile Belle was busy studying his face, the wrinkles showing years of experience and life, his eyes a deep brown haunted with a past he'd rather forget, broken pieces that needed to be put together. She itched to put him back together, to peel back the layers and see the man, the mystery underneath.

Belle began to reach out to touch his face, to trace his handsome features with her delicate fingers. Their moment was ruined by the shrill ring of a phone. "Shit" Gold grumbled as Belle got up off of the floor and Gold followed going to rummage through his coat pocket and pulled out his phone.

He looked at the caller ID and saw that it read 'Milah'. Someone he really didn't feel like speaking to, he declined the call before turning his phone off. Gold shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket.

Once again he ran his hands through his hair, something he found that had happened more and more often lately. He was partly surprised that he hadn't gone balled yet.

"Everything okay?" Belle asked from behind him, her sweet Australian accent bringing him back to reality.

"Yes everything's fine dearie" he turned to face her to find that Belle had divested herself of her robe leaving her in the shirt of his that she was borrowing and her underwear.

"Okay, It's late, I'm going to bed" she informed him.

"Yes that sounds like a good idea" he nodded in agreement before going over to the sofa where there was a blanket and a spare pillow.

"Are you sure I can't change your mind about sharing a bed?" Belle asked him after a moment "There is plenty of room….the sofa can't be comfortable" she protested.

"I'll be fine, good night Belle" he assured her.

"Good night Robert" Belle replied softly.

TBC….

**Sorry that is has taken me so long to update, I've been really busy lately also I've been rather annoyed with OUAT and haven't felt much Rumbelleness. Does anyone else think Belle's being a little bit slutty or perhaps under some curse by Zelena who's not really dead? Also that Rumple has no substance? That he's being treated as if he didn't die to save everyone from Pan or that he hasn't helped everyone in Storybrooke at one time in their life?**

**Anyway. please review, suggestions and comments always welcome **


	4. Chapter 4

"How did you sleep last night?" Belle asked Gold the next morning as they were being seated into a booth in the diner next to the motel that they'd spent the night.

"Uh well" Gold lied through his teeth. Not wanting for her to know that the sofa he'd slept on had been the most uncomfortable piece of furniture in the world and also that his knee was killing him from all the time driving the day before. "And yourself?" he asked her as he picked up one of the menus from the middle of the table.

"Well thank you" Belle nodded as she browsed the menu. Not mentioning how she'd noticed that he was leaning more on his cane this morning. She herself also hadn't slept so well. How one day had changed her life.

"Good" Gold mumbled. Both very much interested in their menus.

The bubbly waitress who had seated them came skipping over to help alleviate the awkwardness that had developed between the two who had been so comfortable the day before.

"What can I get you guys?" She asked, her bubbliness certainly not rubbing off on either Gold or Belle.

"Tea and Pancakes" came two voices at once.

"Alrighty then" the women grinned before scribbling down the order of two teas and a two orders of pancakes. Meanwhile Belle and Gold were staring at one another in amazement. Two minds seemed to think alike.

Belle and Gold sat looking at one another for a moment before Belle, never being able to go long without some sort of conversation spoke "so how long have you been in America?" she asked leaning forward on the table, resting on her elbows.

"About twenty years" he confessed "And yourself?" Belle could feel Gold relax and noticed that his lips quirked up in an almost smile.

"I came over when I was thirteen" she confessed.

"So ten years ago?" Gold almost snorted as the waitress came over with their cups of tea.

"Almost" Belle smiled over the rim of her tea cup. "So what do you do for a living?" she asked after a moment.

"Didn't realise we were playing a game of twenty questions dearie" Gold almost mocked.

"We're not but I'd like to know more about my knight in Armani" Belle quipped with a sweet smile that Gold almost didn't think he could stand the sight of.

"Hardly a knight dearie" He mumbled into his tea with his thick Scottish brogue.

Belle sighed with frustration. How could one man be so infuriating, so stubborn, think so little of himself? "Well any matter, if we're going to be spending some time together, I'd like to get to know you" she looked down into her tea.

"I'm a lawyer" he admitted after a while.

Belle beamed at the fact she'd got a response "So you were at the court house for a case?" she assumed.

"Uhhh Yes" Gold nodded sheepishly. Not wanting her to see straight through his lie. Well it wasn't really a lie more of a half truth. Yeah that was right, he was only telling her half of the truth.

"Did you lose or win?" she asked as the waitress came back with their pancakes dripping with syrup.

The waitress placed the hot plates down in front of the customers as Gold looked at the white table top and mumbled "Lost…so much"

The brunet beauty eyed the man who sat opposite her. She'd heard what he'd said, but she thought she'd let it rest, he'd let her know enough for now. So instead of asking more questions she drank her tea and ate her pancakes, excited that perhaps she'd found a mystery of a man who was worth uncovering.

….

Once both were full of breakfast, the pair hit the road again. The day had become more humid than the day before so Belle had lowered her window a little, letting a pleasant breeze through the car.

Gold couldn't help but glance at his car companion every now and then, the sun hitting her just right, making her eyes shine like emeralds and her brunet curls fell around her face, framing her porcelain skin.

He didn't realise he'd been staring at her until there came a beep from the car behind him and found that the traffic light had turned green and it was safe for him to move on.

"You okay?" Belle asked him after a moment. She still felt like she was walking on egg shells around him after pretending to not hear him in the diner and yet still wanting to know more about him, to find out what on earth he could be hiding.

"I'm fine" he assured her "One of the signs back there mentioned a mall" he began. "We should get you out of those clothes perhaps" he suggested then realised how what he'd said could have been taken offensively "I…I mean….We can get you clothes….more your own uh style" He fumbled with his words as he tried to fix what he'd originally said.

Belle suppressed a giggle as she leant across the car and squeezed his hand that was on the gear stick as she proclaimed "It's alright, I know what you meant"

He felt a little relived but also surprised at her touch. They pulled into the car park for the large mall. Gold's stomach dropped. He was going to have to go clothes shopping. Something he hated on the best of days. He just hoped that with such lovely company it would only get better .

"You should get some clothes too" Belle mused as she looked out of the window to see if she could spot a space. "Ooh there's one there" she pointed to one right near the entrance.

"What?" Gold asked, shifting his gaze from the front window to his passenger and then back again.

"There's a space right there" Belle told him excitedly pointing to the space in question.

"No….why would I need new clothes?"

"As nice as it looks, you can't be comfortable in that suit" she mused as Gold parked the Cadillac into the location that she suggested.

"I suppose I could be persuaded" he told her with a quirk of his lips and for once a little jovial glint in his brown eyes.

Half an hour later Gold found himself standing outside a womens changing room. Around him there seemed to be many men in the same situation as he. Many held large brown bags that were almost breaking under the weight of the contense they contained, others held many items of women's clothing, one man had so many items of clothing to hold that he had to balance a pair of stilettos on one finger.

Gold sighed and looked down and was glad that he wasn't holding anything yet. He looked to his side and caught the eye of one man who said "Women huh" and grinned.

The older man was unsure what to say so just mumbled an uncharacteristic "yeah" before looking down at his shoes, yet the other man continued to talk.

"I mean she's killing my bank account you know….But I love her" the young man mused.

Then another man piped up saying something like "I hear you brother" and another saying "So true man". Gold decided to keep his head down, hoping to avoid the chat from the other gentlemen.

Not soon enough Belle emerged changed into a pretty Blue dress with lace detailing and a black belt and a pair of black high heels.

"Oh thank God" Gold mumbled as he pushed himself off of the wall he'd been leaning on and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to lead her away from the gaggle of men who were ogling her far too much for his liking.

"Everything okay?" Belle asked him in concern as he led her quickly away.

"Just fine dearie" he assured her.

As she was led away Belle noticed the men's section. "Come on" she told him, suddenly grabbing his hand and dragging him into the men's wear section.

The beauty then spent the next ten minutes holding up t-shirts and shirts trying to see what would look best on the man in front of her. Gold didn't know why but he found the fact she wanted him to wear bright t-shirts with pictures and quotes to which he didn't know what they referenced rather amusing.

"Okay…Okay what about this one?" Belle asked him after a moment, holding up a maroon t-shirt advertising Johnny Walker whisky, "I saw the bottle in the back of your car, Can't deny you don't like the stuff" she teased before moving on to looking at jeans, the t-shirt she spoke of still in her hand.

Gold found himself smiling, yes Robert Gold was smiling and not at his son but at a beautiful, enchanting, smart, funny women. Woah…when had she been all those things? Why was he thinking this? What was wrong with him?

"Excuse me but can I help you?" the man turned to find that a leggy, redhead with vicious green eyes was standing far too close to him than he would have liked.

"Uh…Uh I…I don't think so" He told her, feeling rather awkward, almost wishing Belle would come and drag him away.

"Are you sure" the women asked, her English accent unnerving him a little.

"Perfectly" Gold tried to side step the lady but alas she moved into his path, he was trapped.

The women flipped her hair over her shoulder "It's just that your daughter seemed to be showing clothes that didn't….Didn't quite suit a man of your stature" she said eyeing the man in front of her from head to toe.

Gold almost choked when the women thought Belle was his daughter. "Uh She's not…" he began but then Belle just like magic the women in question appeared.

"Hey honey, I found the perfect jeans for you" she grinned, snaking an arm around his waist and kissing him lightly on the cheek. The brunette then pretended to notice the redhead "Oh Hello" she almost grinned "Is something the problem?" she asked.

"Just suggesting some fashion advice for your uuuh" The redhead began, motioning to Gold.

"Fiancé" Belle faked a girly giggle before pulling him tighter to her and making sure that the redhead caught sight of the large diamond engagement ring she still wore as she began to fiddle with the top button of his shirt.

Finally the women took the hint. "Oh okay, well if you need anything, just ask for Zelena, I'm the manager of this department store" she told them, eyeing gold one last time before walking away as fast as she could in her green stiletto's.

As quick as a flash Belle turned to Gold, her brown curls twirling behind her "Let's go pay shall we" she told him as if nothing had happened. She walked away without getting a response. Gold stood gormlessly behind her, not sure what to say or do. He finally settled on "I'm not getting a pair of jeans!"

Belle just looked at him with a look that said he was buying himself a pair of jeans. Later that day he decided that jeans were definitely more comfortable than the suit trousers he was used to.


	5. Chapter 5

He still couldn't believe it, he was wearing jeans and an untucked white shirt and he wasn't even sitting in his car, he was in public, or as public as a late night diner could be. Gold scanned the menu for the fourth time, though he'd already made his mind up what he was having.

Being as inconspicuous as he could he looked over the menu at the women opposite him. Belle sat in her blue dress and cardigan he'd bought her earlier, she too stared at her menu intensely, her perfectly manicured nail tapping against the corner of the plastic covered menu making a light drumming sound.

Neither had said much to one another after the incident with the Zelena earlier on in the day. He wasn't sure why exactly it had become awkward, Belle had just helped him out of an uncomfortable situation with an unwanted female attention. Perhaps it had been something he'd said or done, he just hoped he hadn't ruined everything. That she would demand he take her back home to her unloving father and fiancé, this experience of driving around with her as his companion was one of the most freeing experience of his life.

Belle too felt the uncomfortable air that had fallen over the couple. She knew it was her fault, that he was only feeling awkward because he felt her anxiety, her sadness. The incident with the shop assistant, she'd just seen him talking to a pretty women and it had sent a strange sense of jealousy over her which had then sent her marching over to him, to stake a sort of claim she knew she didn't even have. It scared her.

Peering over her menu at the man opposite him, she noticed the sadness in his eyes, the worry, he looked uncomfortable, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. she wanted to reach out and grab his hand, to tell him that whatever it was that troubled him was okay and offer to face whatever it was, with him, at his side. Her company would probably be denied though, why would he be even remotely interested in her. He probably didn't even want to be on this trip with her, he was probably just waiting for her to ask him to take her home, perhaps she should just do that, let him move on, just move on herself.

"Can I get you guys anything?" A waitress in a bright red dress and white apron asked them as she stood beside their table, pad and paper in hand.

Belle and Gold shared a quick glance before he ordered "I'll have a burger and ice-tea"

"I'll have the same" Belle replied closing her menu and handing it to the waitress who scribbled down their order before walking away.

"So" Belle stared at Gold "Your jeans comfy?" she asked awkwardly.

"Yes and your clothes, they fit okay?" he asked her, both trying to keep their tone light and airy.

"They do...and thank you again" she gave him a genuine smile "I really appreciate all that you've done and I will pay you back every cent" Belle assured, Gold just nodded as the waitress came with their ice tea.

"Can i borrow your pen?" Belle asked the women nicely, she nodded before handing her the pen, then Belle began to scribble down something on a napkin from the napkin dispenser.

"What are you doing?" Gold asked her, trying to read what she was writing.

"You're a lawyer, you like words and contracts" Belle continued "So I'm writing one for us" she finished writing something before turning the napkin to face him. "sign it" she told him.

Gold sighed before reading what she'd written "that's too much" he took the pen from her and crossed out the end amount and wrote a lower number next to it before signing and spinning it back to her to sign, she did and gave the waitress back her pen before handing it back to Gold.

Gold took the napkin and folded it neatly into squares before bringing his wallet from his pocket and slipping the napkin into one of the empty card holders. "I've been meaning to ask you" Gold started "Is there anyone that you'd like to call. to tell that your okay, I mean I'm sure you're family are worried about you"

Belle hadn't even thought about the fact that her friends might be worried that she kind of ran off with a stranger at the drop of a hat. "I'd like to call one of my friends...if I could borrow your phone?" she asked, knowing the exact person she needed to talk to.

"Of course" Gold reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone "No international calls" he teased with a smirk as the pretty brunet took his phone with care before slipping out of the booth.

Belle felt her eyes on him as she crossed the diner and walked out the door. The cold air nipped at her as she walked out onto the concrete car park, she pulled her cardigan around her more to protect from the cold. She took a few deep breaths of the chilled air before pulling his phone out of her pocket and dialling a familiar number.

"Hello" A familiar female voice answered the other end.

"Mulan it's me" Belle answered after a few minutes.

"BELLE!" Her friend almost screamed so much that Belle had to pull Gold's phone away from her hear "Are you okay? Where are you? I'll come get you" she began to ramble.

"No, I'm fine" Belle assured her as she began to wander the car park, crossing her feet over one another as she spoke. "Honestly you don't need to worry".

"Worry" Mulan almost yelled "You ran away minutes before your wedding and were last seen being driven away by some strange guy and no one's heard from you in almost two days" she exclaimed.

"Look I'm sorry, really but..." Belle ran a hand through her brown curls "And he's not strange, Roberts...well he's a gentlemen and I'm the one that asked him to drive me away"

"I...I just don't understand Belle" Mulan spoke after a moment "Do you realise how worried your father is?" she asked.

Belle felt sick to her stomach, she didn't give her father much thought, he'd been so pushy lately, wanting her to marry Gaston as soon as possible, she didn't think he'd actually care that she was missing.  
"Belle are you there?" Mulan's voice brought her back to reality.

"Yeah. I'm still here" she replied, her voice laced with sadness and a hint of regret, "Can you do me a favour" she asked after a moment.

"Sure, what?" Mulan asked.

the brunet sighed "I'm going to send you two letters, one for my father and one for Gaston, could you give them to them and could you get some of my stuff from Gaston's place?"

"Of course" Mulan told her "You can stay with me when you get back" she added.

"Thank you" Belle sighed, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, she turned on her heels, she spotted Gold through the window of the diner, he still sat by himself. He looked lonely, heartbroken almost, like he needed a hug, someone to help him find what he'd lost.

"Belle..." Mulan began bringing her friend back to the conversation "You are coming back right?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah" the brunet assured "I just need time...we all do" she added after a moment, her eyes not leaving Gold for a second. "I have to go, I'll send the letters tomorrow"

"Okay, take care" was all Mulan could manage to get out before the phone line went dead.

...

"Everything okay?" Gold asked as Belle returned to their booth.

"Yeah fine" Belle assured him with a small smile before sliding his phone across the table for him to take "Thank you for that".

Gold just shrugged his shoulders at her as if to tell her that it was nothing, "So there are no police man coming to arrest me for kidnapping?" he only half joked.

The beauty smiled at him "Don't worry, I called them off" she quipped back in return. The waitress approached putting their burgers in front of them.

"You folks enjoy now" she told them before walking off.

Belle watched as Gold picked up the ketchup and the top half of the burger bun and squirted it inside, Gold's gaze lifted from the burger to the women sitting opposite him before pushing the tomato sauce towards her.

"Something the matter?" he asked her.

"No..."Belle assured "Just...Well... I haven't had a burger or anything like that in years" she confessed.

Gold looked at her like she was mad "Why on earth not?" he asked.

"Needed to watch my weight" she confessed as she nibbled on a French fry, it tasted like freedom.

"Who the hell told you that?" he asked, sounded almost outraged.

"Gaston...Gaston's mother...Gaston's sister...the wedding dress designer..." Belle explained almost casually as she copied Gold's actions with the ketchup on her own burger.

Gold couldn't believe that the man that had claimed to love Belle, to want to marry her, to be with her , was so concerned about how she looked that he obviously didn't see the wonderful personality underneath. "Well they're wrong...you perfect" he almost whispered before focusing on his burger, finding himself all of a sudden hungry. Belle meanwhile had a little blush on her cheeks, having heard what he said whether he likes it or not.

Belle took one bite of her burger and was in heaven. For the rest of the meal the pair enjoyed quiet conversations about his life as a boy in Scotland and her life in Australia. Belle spoke about her love of reading of which Gold found himself surprised at how she and he had such similar taste in literature. Gold told Belle about his secret love of antiques and of his spinning wheel which his grandmothers taught him how to use, something Belle found so interesting and unique. She was sure she was only just pulling back the layers of man who sat opposite her.

Both had almost forgotten the awkwardness from the earlier encounter, that was until they found themselves in a motel, sharing a room once again but this time the room had two single beds.

They lay in their separate bed's in the darkness, neither could sleep, both just stared at the ceiling above them. Gold's mind kept replaying the situation with Zelena, of how Belle came over, as cool as anything, saying she was his fiancé, helping him out of an awkward situation with women who couldn't be far from his interests.

Meanwhile Belle's was playing the very same moment in her mind, she didn't understand why it affected her so much. She saw Gold was in trouble so she helped him, just like he would do to her, it meant nothing, it was nothing, so why did she keep thinking about it?

The brunet rolled over and groaned into her pillow in frustration, forgetting that she wasn't alone in the room.

"Belle...Are you okay?" Gold asked, sitting up in his bed and twisting his body to look at her before reaching out to switch on the lamp between them.

Belle shot up, "I'm fine" she told him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"You don't look okay" he spoke, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Just can't sleep" Belle mumbled.

"Something bothering you?" Gold asked after a moment.

The beauty sat up in her bed, looking over at the man who sat in the bed opposite her, he looked so different than he had when he first met her, the suit was gone, the well groomed face was gone, replaced with sleep trousers and a Johnny Walker whisky advert on a top and light stubble on his face, had she changed him so much in the last two days, did he realise how much he'd freed her.

Do the brave thing and bravery shall follow. Belle took a deep breath "Earliar with when the shop assistant was talking to you..." she began taking a deep breath before truly being honest "Pretending to be your fiancé for that mere minute... it felt better than having been Gaston's for the past year and half" she admitted.

Gold felt a mixture of flattery and awe at how open she'd been with him "Well then it's a good thing you didn't marry him" he told her "It doesn't sound like he deserves you in the slightest"

"Thank you" Belle smiled feeling better than she had all day. she sighed before deciding to be brave once more "Earlier when you were paying for the clothes, I noticed in your wallet...there was a picture of a boy" it was something that had caught her eyes and she wondered that now she'd been so open to him, he might be a little open to her.

Gold felt a cold shiver go down his spine, should he tell her, she'd been brave, perhaps he could harness that and stop being a coward. "He's my son" he told her, looking away into the dark corner of the room. "He's eleven, his mother and I divorced and she won sole custody and refuses to let me see him" he admitted.

The older man didn't even realise that Belle had got out of her bed until she laid down beside him and held him, he jumped a little in her arms but then soon relaxed "I'm so sorry" she spoke as she rested her head next to his.

Both were silent for a long time, before they knew it, they'd fallen asleep in each other's arms, squashed in the single bed. Although they were still strangers to one another, both felt safe, free and hopeful that the morning could only hold good things in store for them to help them forget their gloomy pasts.

...

**Hope you liked this chapter. I decided to use Mulan instead of Ruby as i'd like to use Ruby later in the story. Sorry if it was all out of character i had a bit of writers block with this chapter but am happy with how it ended. Hopefully you wont have to wait so long for the next update.**

**Suggestions always welcome, i have a few more ideas and the ending is sorted but any road trip stuff would be much appreciated. **

**-OhMyGold**


	6. Chapter 6

Morning brought sun light shining through the thin curtains of the motel room, the small gap making the sun light hit the man in the bed right in the face. He shook his head as he came from reality, he was wrapped around something warm.

Robert wrapped his arm around the body beside him, he knew it wasn't right, to lay in bed with a complete stranger but he felt closer to her, they'd been open with each other, they'd peeled back the layers of who they were.

He couldn't help but think how Belle was the most beautiful women he'd ever seen and get she'd been neglected by the very man that had claimed to love her and want to be with her for the rest of his life. This Gaston sounded like he just wanted to have her as a pretty ornament to have on his arm.

If he'd been as lucky as Gaston, he would have appreciated the women she was, he would have tried every day to show her that he was worthy of her. Running a hand through his hair he sighed, but he wasn't lucky, Belle was nothing but a women who'd he'd help get out of a sticky situation.

The fact that he'd found himself easy to open up with her, to tell her everything, to tell her about his ex-wife and son. He didn't know what it was about her, whether it was her beautiful blue eyes that calmed him, or perhaps it was the way she seemed to actually want to listen to him, something his former wife had never bothered to do.

The shrill cry of his phone made Robert cringe in the hope that it wouldn't wake the sleeping beauty beside him. Reaching over to the night stand to stop the noise, the caller I.D told him that it was 'Milah'. What was she calling for? did she want the rest of his money?

He put it down, he really didn't want to talk to her. He'd talk to her once he got his head back on straight.

Belle rolled over beside him, turning to face him "It could have been important" she told him.

Robert shook his head "Sorry it woke you" he gave her a weak smile "Do you want to keep driving today?" thought taking her back might break his heart a little bit, but he would do whatever she wanted him to.

"I'd love to" she told him with a bright smile "I just need to write some letters" she added.

"Of course" he nodded before moving to slip out of the bed that they had occupied for the night, the other single bed hadn't been touched. They'd fallen asleep next to one another after their heart to heart. "You did the right thing" he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Belle asked, bushing her curls from her face.

"Not Marrying Gaston, you shouldn't have made yourself miserable out of obligation" he added "I know I'm out of place telling you that"

Belle shook her head "Your wife didn't deserve you and I'm sure you'll get your son back" she reached over and squeezed his hand gently before letting him go to the bathroom so she could write the letters to Gaston and her father.

...C\\_'/...

An hour and a half later and the pair found themselves in a small antique shop. It was a small shop owned by a tiny, elderly lady.

Gold's eyes were darting from object to object, he'd loved antiques for years and collecting them had become some sort of hobby for him, now though, he guessed he would have to sell them to make back the money that his ex-wife had taken from him.

Belle was across the street at a post box when she saw him enter the shop. She too liked antique objects but mainly old books, she always wondered what the story was, who had it belonged too, had they cared for it, what had to book been through.

As she walked into the shop, the bell jingled above her making her feel warm and welcome. As she walked around she saw all of the books, reaching out to touch the leather bound book. Lifting her finger she found it caked in dust, sometimes the best books had the dustiest jacket.

With a light hum escaping her lips the beauty turned, as she did she was surprised with what she saw. Robert stood in a white shirt and black jeans, he was hunched over looking at an antique spinning wheel in great detail making his hair sweep forward. God he looked good, she tilted her head to the side to get a better view.

Then the guilt hit her, she shouldn't be looking at him like that, shouldn't be thinking like that. she was engaged, looking down at her hands there was no longer the ring on her finger, It was with the letter in the post box ready to be taken to the man who had bought it in the first place.

She thought that she should feel some sort of emptiness, guilt but she didn't feel anything, if anything she felt free, light, as if she didn't have to worry about anything. So she could take a little glance at admiring her companion, well as long as she didn't get caught.

"You okay?" Robert brought her back o the present where she stood staring at a beautiful antique tea-set. It was white china with a blue floral design and a gold rim. It was beautiful. She bet it was expensive, it made her want to drink tea in some big castle while wearing a big poufy dress.

She reached out and gently picked up one of the china tea cups and held it delicately in her hands knowing that she could be such a cluts at times.

"Beautiful isn't it?" a familiar voice spoke in her ears, his breath hot against her his. He stood right behind her, his chest against her back, his hands went to cover hers making the Australian shiver. Her breath hitched making the cup slip from both of their hands, hitting the floor with a clank.

The beauty turned to come face to face with Gold, her eyes searched his, why had he been standing so close? Why did she get all these feelings with him standing so close? Did he feel it too? When had he been so good looking, in an older, smarter, sexy way? when had his eyes been so dark?

"YOU BREAK IT...YOU BUY!" the old lady who owned the shop yelled at the couple who just stood staring at one another.

Belle looked down at the tea cup on the floor, there was a small chip in the top. She bent down to pick it up "It's chipped but you can barely see it" the younger women showed the older women.

Gold piped up "It's just a cup" the women didn't look impressed "You can still sell the rest of the set".

"You break you buy" the women spoke her mantra again, this time with gritted teeth, her grip on her cane increasing, both Gold and Belle were worried she might use it as a weapon.

"Fine, I'll buy the whole set" Gold pulled out his wallet and pulled out his last couple of bills.

"Pleasure doing business with you sir" the old women smiled at him "Would you like me to wrap it for you?" she asked him almost cheekily.

"Please" Gold smiled in return before following her to the till. A very guilty Belle followed behind them. Her IOU to Gold just kept on increasing.

Half an hour later Gold and Belle were back in the Cadillac, the only noise come from the back seat where the tea set and ripped gold dress sat rattling and clinking with every movement of the car.

"I'm sorry" Belle decided to break the awkwardness she and the man beside her were under.

Robert took a quick glance from the road to look at the women beside him "It's nothing to worry about" he told her "It's rather a beautiful peace"

"Even the chipped cup?" Belle asked him with a small smile. He'd changed from the man she'd met all those days ago. At first he'd been harsh, selfish and dark but now he seemed sweeter, more human.

"Sometimes the best tea cups are chipped" he gave her a small smile which Belle couldn't help but return.

The beauty turned and looked out of the window at the country side that rolled past them, unconsciously she lifted her hand and began to rub her ring finger on the left hand where her engagement ring had sat for just under a year.

Gold flicked his eyes to the passenger side and noticed what she was doing and was surprised to see no ring on her finger, did that mean she'd finally let him go? Had she sent it back in her letter to him?

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her as he still kept his eyes on the road, they were less on the motorway and more in the country than they had been before.

"Uhmmm, I'm not sure" Belle replied before running her hands through her hair. "Do you have a map? We could see what's near" she suggested.

Robert nodded "There should be a map in the back" he motioned to the back with the direction of his thumb.

Squirming in her seat a little bit the brunet reached behind her blindly hoping to find the map, her hand made contact with something hard and bottle like, her curiosity got the better of her and so she pulled it to the front.

It was a bottle of brown liquid "Hmmm Johnny Walker whiskey" she spoke as she traced the name on the bottle.

"I ugh don't actually drink" Gold told her.

"Then why..." Belle began but then she realised something "The accident that caused you to come to America, did you have a drinking problem?" she asked him, her voice full of curiosity.

"Yes...buying that was a moment of weakness" he explained "I need you to promise me that you wont let a drop of it pass my lips" he added "If I drink, it just means I lose my son more"

Belle reached across the car to cover his hand on the gear stick with her s "I promise" she assured him. She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles a few times for comfort before letting go and putting the alcohol back behind her seat.

A few more moments of searching in the back of the car "Uh huh" she almost squealed triumphantly before pulling the map into the front part of the car. Carefully she unfolded it and looking at the signs they passed determined where they were. "There's a small fishing and mining town nearby, some sea air might be good"

"Sounds good, what's it called?" He asked, sounding intreagued for once.

"Storybrooke"


	7. Chapter 7

Stifling a yawn Belle twisted the map once again in her hands. "I think we're lost" The brunet sighed turning to the man in the drivers seat.

"We are not lost" Gold assured as they continued to drive down the narrow lane with thick forests either side.

"Well it feels like we've been driving for hours" the beauty spoke with an air of irritation, she ran a hand through her hair as she leant against the window. The sun had set not long ago leaving twinkly stars behind in them. She'd never seen stars so bright.

"Not hours" Gold mumbled as he kept his eyes on the road. They drove in silence for a while, the only sound being the hum of the engine and the clanking of the tea set and bottle of Johnny Walker in the back of the car.

Bell kept on looking at the stars, they were far brighter than when they were in the city. She found herself content and happy to be where she was and who she was with. Turning in her seat, she looked at the man beside her.

He was a lost soul, someone that needed to be loved, that deserved to be loved, deserved to be happy. "Are you happy?" she asked him after a moment.

"what?" he asked , still not taking his eyes off of the road "Am I happy?" he asked himself "When I have my son, then I think I'd be happy" he admitted "You?"

Belle smiled "I am" she almost whispered just as his phone began to ring. Something she'd noticed happened quite often. "Do you want to pull over to answer it?" she asked him as he made no sign to answer it.

"Nope" Gold assured as he kept speeding down the road, the sign welcoming them into Storybrooke wasn't far off in the distance.

"But it's Milah" Gold turned his head abruptly to find that Belle was holding his phone in her hand as it continued to ring. "She obviously wants to talk to you"

"I don't care" He told her, his voice raised a little, his ex wife was the last person he wanted to talk to. He leant across the car, snatching the phone from her hands before throwing it into the back of the car, it landing on top of her ripped gold dress.

Belle was shocked, she'd never expected him to be so abrupt in his actions. In a blink of an eye he was back to being the man who'd told her to get out of the car when she'd confessed to having no money. Over the last few days she thought she'd got to know who he really was, of who he was under his tough exterior but apparently she was wrong.

They drove into the sleepy Maine town in silence once more. Belle watched out of the passenger window, the town of Storybrooke seemed sweet, the main street was surrounded by shops, a park, a beautiful clock tower sat opposite a diner. Couples and family's walked down the street, all seemed happy and at peace.

She could see herself here, just starting over again, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. All the place needed was a library and she was away.

The car came to a sudden stop causing Belle to jump forward a bit "Should we stop for something to eat?" Gold asked her, motioning to the diner to the side with a large sign that read "Granny's".

"Sounds good" she mumbled with a nod of her head.

Gold pulled into the next parking space he saw, luckily it wasn't far from the diner so the awkward walk there didn't last too long.

The minute that the couple entered the diner they felt a thousand eyes on them. It seemed that the little town wasn't so used to strangers. With his hand at her lower back Gold led the beauty over to a booth in the corner.

The minute she'd sat down Belle picked up the menu and hid behind it. Gold sighed, he knew he'd been rude, he shouldn't necessarily acted the way that he had. He just felt angry at the mention of his ex wife and knew that her calling could only mean something bad, something he didn't want to hear.

"Belle...I" Gold began but then they felt the presents of someone beside them. Both Belle and He turned to look at the women standing at the side of their table. She was tall, in a smart business suit with red stilettos that matched her red lips and made her shoulder length dark hair even darker.

"I'm Regina Mills, the Mayor of this town" she spoke with an almost sickeningly sweet grin.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Belle French and this is my friend Mr Gold" Belle introduced them with her own smile.

"It's not often that we get visitors here so you'll forgive us for all the staring" She smiled "You two enjoy your stay" with that the Mayor turned on her high heels and took her usual spot at the stools, joining a man and a little boy.

Belle smiled, although the Mayor at first came across a little harsh and abrupt but she could see that by the way the man she sat with tucked her hair behind her ear and how the little boy excitedly asked if they could get ice cream and Regina said yes without question that she had a heart, a very big, loving heart she just kept it guarded and had layers that obviously the man she loved could peel back to see the true women inside.

Looking at the man opposite her the beauty smiled, perhaps Robert Gold was much the same and maybe just maybe she would be the one to peel them back.

"What can I get you guys?" a women about Belle's age all dressed in red with red streaks in her hair, a note pad held in her hands.

"Can I get a burger and ice tea please" Belle asked and the young women wrote it down.

"I'll have the same" Gold grumbled before putting his menu back to the side and Belle did the same. "Belle..." he began as the young waitress walked away.

"I'm sorry" Belle spoke instead of Gold "I shouldn't have got involved" she told him, the feeling of guilt had been eating at her ever since. "It wasn't my place" she continued.

Gold shook his head "I shouldn't have acted the way I did, you were just doing the right thing...the thing I'm too much of a coward to do" he admitted, his voice uncharacteristically small.

Belle reached across the table and took his hands in hers, her thumbs going to rub across his knuckles, her soft hands against his rough calluses. Soft chocolate brown met ocean blue "You _are not _a coward" she stressed.

At that moment Gold wanted to lean across the table and capture her ruby lips with his own. He would have if it hadn't been for the sound of a thump from under the table followed by a little 'ouch'.

The couple shared a worried look before he bent slightly and looked under the table. He couldn't help but smiled, under the table sat a little girl, thick blond curls covering her face, she couldn't have been more than eight. "What are you doing under there little miss?" he asked her, using a tone he usually reserved for his son.

"I'm a knight, hiding from a dragon" The eight year old informed him.

"I understand" Gold nodded with a small smile before turning his attention back to the beautiful women who sat opposite him "We have a knight under our table it seems"

Belle smiled, her heart softened at the sight of him being so different and soft where children were concerned, her was obviously a good father and she couldn't understand how Milah could take that away from him. "Then we are very well protected from the dragon I hears wondering these parts"

"Emma!" a couple entered the diner, a tall man with sandy coloured hair and chiselled chin, the women on his arm was shorter than he was with a dark pixie cut and very beautiful in her own away.

The women let go of the man's arm and made her way over to the counter "Ruby, have you seen Emma anywhere?"

Ruby smiled at her friend "try with the strangers that have just come into town" she said motioning to the couple in the booth. under the table she just noticed a familiar boot sticking out.

The women straightened her clothes and motioned for her husband to follow her as they approach the new couple. "There's my brave princess" The man pulled the little girl out from under the table and lifted her effortlessly into his arm.

"I'm a knight!" Emma almost wailed at him, princesses were boring and had to wear icky dresses and do boring things.

"Emma, inside voice please" her mother almost scolded "Go with your father, he'll get you a hot chocolate" he informed her.

"With cinnamon?" the blond eyed her mother for a moment.

"Would we have it any other way?" Her mother pressed a kiss to her daughters sunny tresses before her father took her to the counter.

The women spun on her heels "Sorry about Emma, she's always been a wild one, god knows what she'll be like a teenager" she laughed almost nervously, "I'm Mary Margaret and my Husbands David, you guys are new to town?" she asked them.

Belle smiled at the lady "Your daughter seems wonderful and was no bother at all" she assured. "I'm Belle French and this is my friend Mr Gold" she introduced.

"We're just passing through" Gold informed the women.

"It's been a long time Storybrooke has had visitors" Mary Margaret told them, "If you need anything, we'd all be more than happy to help" she assured them, just as Ruby approached the table with their food. "Anyway, I'll let you guys enjoy your food" she almost giggled before walking off to join her family.

Gold and Belle thanked Ruby before enjoying their food, neither said very much, just enjoyed each other's company and in Belle's opinion the best burger in the world.

"Did you guys enjoy your meal?" Ruby asked them an hour later when the diner was pretty much empty.

"Tell your Granny it was the best burger I've ever had and in the past couple of days I've had a few" Belle told her with a grin.

"I will" Ruby smiled "Hey if you guys need a place to stay Granny owns a bed and breakfast"

Belle turned to her companion who nodded in agreement "That sounds perfect, we're going to wonder around town for a bit is that alright?" she asked.

"Sure, we'll leave the key behind the desk" Ruby smiled before leaving the couple alone.

Belle and Gold then divided up the tip then left the diner. The cold air hit them both making the beauty shiver, he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you" she smiled at him sweetly, pulling the jacket closer around her, she then reached out and took the man's hand in her own as they began to stroll down the street. "Sweet town, don't you think?" she asked him.

Gold looked around for a moment, the image of his son running around the safe streets with the other kids, going to the park, getting ice cream, eating in the diner "Ideal" Gold told her.

"What do you think this place was?" Belle asked as they stopped outside the abandoned building under the clock tower, the windows were covered in newspaper.

"I don't know" He said as he let go of her hand and walked around to the side of the building, she followed him with a smile, "What are you doing?" she asked.

Gold didn't answer he just pressed his face up against one of the windows "A library" he laughed.

"What?" she asked him, not believing what she'd just heard.

"Look" He said as he gently guided her to look through the window, his hands standing ever so lightly on her hips, in a way that felt comfortable and natural to both.

"Oh...wow" She almost squealed "It was a library, it still has the books and the desk and everything" she turned, his arms still on her waist, neither making any effort to move them. "It's so sad" she told him "A beautiful town with no library" her tone became sad and disappointed.

"I'm sure it'll be open and running again in no time" He pulled her into a small hug before letting her go.

"I hope so, for the people of this town" Belle sighed, letting her hand once more take his, "Look" she said as she led him almost aimlessly across the street. "What are the odds?" she asked him "two abandoned shops across the street from one another" The windows on this sweet little shop was not covered up like with the library, instead they were open.

Belle looked inside, squinting her eyes in the darkness of the empty space, in the main window there was a bare manikin, obviously it used t be a dress shop. "Such a great space" she told him.

"Yeah" Gold gave her a small smile before grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the shop. trying to forget how nice it would be to own a little shop, to have a simple life, with his boy and Belle, Gold shook his head, why would Belle be in his future? he didn't want her in his future, she didn't want to be in his future, She couldn't be in his future. He needed to forget that h ever thought that and there was only one way he could do that, just this once.

"You alright?" she asked him, sensing something was on his mind.

"Yeah" he smiled at her and she smiled back before he led her back across the street towards where he'd parked the car.

"Where are we going?" she asked him as he dragged her behind.

"I need a drink" he mumbled as he pulled his car keys out of his pocket and opened up the back seat.

"What are you doing?" the brunet asked him. trying to pull him back from the car.

Gold mumbled something she couldn't quite make out "Ah huh" he said, almost full of joy, he swung back round to face her, "Just one drink" He said holding up the bottle of Johnny Walker whisky, closing the car door behind him.

"You know that it can never be just one drink" she told him, remembering his words of only a few hours ago, she promised she wouldn't let him have any, let him ruin his life.

"Yes I can, just one" he told her "Just to have one, to get rid of the pain" he told her, she wasn't sure of what pain he spoke, she didn't know of how she caused him pain, the knowing that any hour now he was sure she would ask, no beg for him to take her home, back to her fiancé that she didn't love, the father that didn't appreciate her and he would never see her again and be alone for the rest of his life.

"No" Belle shook her head, taking the full bottle from his hand and led him the short distance to the docks.

"Give it back" he almost ordered her but still she held it out of his reach, "Come on" he told her but she once again moved out of his grasp.

Belle, didn't know what to do, she'd made him a promise and she had to keep it. "Think of Bae, don't do it, he needs you to be strong".

"Just one sip" he almost begged, as if on slow motion, Belle shook her head and turned too quickly and lost her balance on her high heels. The bottle of whisky slipped from her hands and landed on the ground with a smash, she thought she was soon to follow.

She wasn't. A familiar pair of arms caught her at the waist and pulled her to their chest. She turned to look at him, still in his arms "I'm so sorry" she almost pleaded "It was an accid..."

He crashed his lips to hers, at first she didn't respond, it worried him and so he began to pull away from her but she pulled him back, her hands gripping his hair. They stood there for a moment, just kissing, smiling, hugging. She buried her face in his neck, taking a deep breath of his cologne, letting it envelop her. She'd miss it when he decided he'd had enough of their adventure.

"Belle...I..." he began but she put her finger to his lips to stop him talking.

"Lets discuss this in the morning" she suggested, running a hand through his hair and giving him another kiss to which he responded, maybe just tonight was all that they could have and we would have to savour as much as he could.

...C\\_'/...

The next morning a stream of sun light woke Belle from her sleep as it peeked through the curtain and landed right on her face, she sighed before snuggling into the covers more.

She smiled at the memory of the night before, she and Gold had sat by the docks on one of the benches, she leant against him as he held her close, running a hand up and down her arm and every once in a while they would share a kiss, it was all just sweet an innocent, no games, no fan fair, just simple company, sweet, relationship.

Rolling over in bed without opening her eyes, she reached out for the man who'd fallen asleep behind her, instead she was met with a cold, satin material, not matching the bed sheets.

Her eyes shot open "No" She almost yelled as she sat up. Laying beside her, glimmering in the morning sun was her golden wedding dress, the small rip ever present.

If she'd hated the sight of the bed before, she hated it now more than ever. It was light a shard of glass through the heart. It was then that she noticed the letter that sat atop the dress. Her name written in a curly script across the top.

She picked it up, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall as she opened it and read.

_Belle_

_Despite what you think I am a coward, the act of not explaining my actions to your face shows that. As you told me last night, I have to think of Bae, you should know that you and you alone have shown me that I should have fought harder for him, to be part of his life. _

_I'm sorry for leaving you, I knew that if I looked at you I wouldn't have the courage to leave. You should know that I loved every moment we had together and will never forget any of it. You are the most beautiful women I have ever known inside and out. _

_I hope one day you find a man worthy of the light you posses._

_You've saved my life more than you know._

_Forever, Your Bright Flame_

She finished the letter with a sniff and it was as she looked up she noticed the plane ticket on the bedside cabinet. she crawled over to it, not caring about the dress underneath her and picked up the ticket to read, it seemed she was going home.


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay Belle, that's the last of it" Mulan's voice echoed through her apartment her voice sounding strained from the heavy boxes she held in her arms.

The brunet came running out of the kitchen "Thank you so much" she almost squealed taking the boxes from her friends arms and leading her to her temporary room. "You wouldn't believe how much I've missed my books" she sighed as she dumped the boxes on her bed.

"It really wasn't that bad you know" Mulan told her friend as she leant against the door frame and watched Belle pull out each book and smile at it lovingly.

At her friends words Belle froze and shook her head "that's because you weren't the one who left Gaston at the Alter while you drove off with another man and disappeared from almost a week" the beauty explained as she hurriedly put her favourite books on the limited shelf space.

"Come on Belle, that was months ago!" The raven haired women huffed as she pushed herself from the door and to the arm chair in the corner of the guest bedroom.

"It doesn't matter anymore, thanks to you I have all of my things and don't have to worry about Gaston or my father" Belle sighed before flopping down on to the bed, looking at the ceiling.

"So you can move on, find something new" Mulan suggested. Watching her friend mope around for the last couple of weeks was really taking its toll.

"What, like you?" The brunet almost snorted then realised what she'd said, "Oh I'm sorry" She almost yelped as she saw how her words had hurt her friend.

"No it's okay" Mulan shook her head to stop the tears welling in her eyes.

Belle moved from her place on the bed and made her way over to her friend to force her into a hug of apology, "It's not okay, I mean your letting me stay here for free"

"Well, you'd do the same for me" Mulan gave her a small smile "Plus it's not your fault that your a descent person and actually paid that Gold guy the IOU even though Gaston's company fired you and you have no money" she explained.

"Yup" Belle nodded as she and her friend fell back onto the bed, moving from the chair, laying side by side and looking at the ceiling.

"I mean the Gold guy must have been a real jerk to hold you to the IOU" Mulan spoke after a moment of silence.

"He's not a jerk" Belle spoke almost dreamily as she remembered the man who had captured her mind, body and soul. "He was sweet, a real gentlemen" she continued "A little rough around the edges but he just needs to be shown that someone can care for him".

"You sound like one of those crappy romance novels" Mulan almost snickered before they once again fell into silence "You didn't sleep with him did you?" she asked.

Belle shook her head "No" she smiled "Kissed though" she bit her lip as Mulan laughed.

"Any good?" her friend asked making Belle laugh too.

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell" Belle informed her friend "But yeah" she added after a while, she began to wonder where he was, if he ever thought of her, if he was happy or did he get to see his son.

"Did you really like him?" Mulan queered as Belle was still lost in thought.

"Yeah" Belle sighed, knowing she would probably never see him again. "But, he just came out of a divorce, he has a son, I just ended things with Gaston" Belle spoke as she thought of Gold's letter.

"That was months ago and as to the fact he has a son, you're awesome, who could hate you" Mulan stated as if Belle was stupid.

"It's not that simple Mulan" Belle rolled over on the bed, so her face was hidden, "I'll never see him again" her friend could just make out what she'd said.

"Oh I dunno, he might be more interested than you think" Mulan almost grinned as she watched her friend roll over to face her.

"What are you talking about?" Belle asked, gripping at the bed sheets under her.

"When I got the mail today, I noticed there was a hand written envelope addressed to Miss B French and other than Gaston and your father, he's the only other person that knows my address since you sent me those letters when you were with him". Mulan explained before pulling the letter out of her jacket pocket and holding it out to her.

Without saying anything Belle snatched the letter from her friends hands, hopping off of the bed and going to find privacy of the kitchen.

Taking a moment to look at the envelope, she noticed that the stamp wasn't like a usual stamp but instead had a tree. the symbol was familiar but she wouldn't put her finger on why.

After steadying her breath the brunet ripped open the back of the envelope before pulling the piece of paper out of the middle. opening it out she noticed that at the top there was the symbol of the tree once again, only now it had a banner underneath reading "Storybrooke".

The little town they'd stopped in, the last place she saw him. But why would they be sending her a letter and how did they know where she lived. So she began to read.

_Dear Miss French._

_I am writing to congratulate you on the acceptance of your bid to re-open the old library under the clock tower. You are now entitled to the books which it contains along with the small apartment above. _

_I am expecting to see you at 10 am Monday at my office (attached below) where we can sign all the paper work and you can get the key._

_I look forward to seeing you again and welcome you to Storybrooke. _

_Regards Regina Mills (Mayor of Storybrooke)._

"Mulan!" Belle called and within seconds her friend came running into the kitchen. "Do you know anything about this?" she asked shoving the letter into her friends hand before she herself started pacing the kitchen in an almost blind panic.

"So you own a library" Mulan stated after a few minutes, her tone light and full of humour "When did you do this, where even is Storybrooke?"

Belle turned on her heels "I didn't do it, do you really think I could even afford it if I wanted too?" She almost yelled "Storybrooke was the last place Robert and I stayed" Belle explained.

"So he bought you a library?" Mulan asked, full of shock. The man did know her friend well.

"He wouldn't" Belle shook her head "He couldn't no...No" She continued to shake her head trying to think of a different explanation but yet there was only one.

"I guess you're going back to Storybrooke"

Belle sighed, running a library was her dream, given this wasn't an accident, she just couldn't pass it up. "I guess I am" she smiled.

...C\\_'/...

It was half past nine on a Monday Morning and Belle found herself once again on the streets of Storybrooke. The sun shone brighter than it had when she'd been there last.

She wasn't sure why, perhaps it was because she was free, there was no having to face Gaston or her father looming over, it had all be dealt with.

The streets were filled with people going about their days, all saying good morning to one another, like they'd all done the same routine for the past hundred years.

Taking a deep breath of the air the beauty managed to calm her nerves, she wasn't what she was going to say to Regina. She wanted to know how she knew of her interest of the library and also how did she receive belles payment without her ever knowing about it.

As she was lost in thought she was brought to the present by something running into her legs, she looked down and was surprised to see a boy about ten or eleven looking up at her with big brown eyes, full of apology.

His eyes, they were dark, scared, full of apology, something familiar but also full of light and hope. "I'm Sorry Miss" He told her, his voice a little shaky.

"It's no problem" Belle assured him with a warm smile.

After a few minutes a familiar blond girl came running up "Come on Bae, I want hot chocolate" the girl grabbed the boys arm and pulled him along with her in the direction of granny's.

"Bae" Belle said the name on her lips, it couldn't be the same boy that Gold spoke of, because that could mean Gold was here then that would make the whole situation more confusing and a little more obvious as well all at once.

"Miss French" she turned to find the women who she recognised as Regina standing behind with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Miss Mills" Belle smiled "Lovely to see you again" she added.

Regina's lips quirked up in a smile "And it seems my dear that we will being seeing a lot more of you" she added "How about we discuss the rest at my office like we planned, ill drive us" she said before leading the brunet to her car.

Five minutes later the pair arrived at the mayors black and white office, "I was surprised when you didn't approach me yourself" the raven haired women spoke, motioning to the spare chair which Belle took. "But going through that Boyfriend of yours does pay off, he's quite the business man"

Belle was almost lost for words "Boyfriend?" she asked leaning forward on the chair.

"Yes, Mr Gold" Regina spoke with a sense of confusion "You were with him the last time you visited, he moved here with his son and you wanted to join them"

To say Belle was confused was an understatement, but she now knew he was in the town which meant she could see him and they could talk about this.

"Is something wrong Miss French?" Regina asked the women in front of her.

"No" Belle shook her head and gave the women a smile "Could you tell me the exact price I offered, just so were clear" she needed to know how much more she owed Gold, how much he'd spent on her.

"Of course, it's just here on the documents" Regina told her as she handed her a three page document. A Smile graced Belle's lips as she read the price, the down payment had been the money she'd given him as the IOU and the rest would be paid in rent. It seemed a little too generous as her IOU wasn't that much.

Twenty minutes later, once going through Belle duties as the new librarian such as reading to the school children and having a booth at the miners day festival, she finally signed the last of the papers.

"So here are the keys to the library and to the apartment" she held out the keys to Belle, who took them gratefully. "Welcome to Storybrooke Miss French"

"Thank you" Belle gave the mayor a small smile before getting up to leave, the keys still in her grasp, he'd bought her a library, Gold had bought her a library, why would he do that? what would make him do it? she needed to talk to him and soon, she just had to figure out how to find him.

As she left the office and began to walk down the street Belle felt like everyone was watching her, she guessed she would have to get used to if she was living there, as she walked she noticed the boy and girl from earlier walking on the other side of the road as thick as thieves.

She almost wanted to call out to him and ask him where his father was but decided against it, not wanting to scare the boy, it wouldn't be a good thing to do since she was new to the town.

"Sorry you look lost" Belle looked up to find the brunet pixie cut women standing in front of her, Mary something she'd said her name was when she'd introduced herself a few months ago.

"I um yes, I'm fine" the beauty shook her head, "I'm new that's all, just need to get my bearings" she explained,

"You're French aren't you?" The Mary women asked. "Sorry I mean Miss French, you visited the other month with Mr Gold, Mayor Mills said you were coming to open the new library"

Wow it seemed the town really did gossip "Yes i am" Belle nodded "but you can call me Belle"

"Of course, Mary Margaret, I teach at the school" the short haired women explained. "But the boilers broken and school is shut for the day" she began to ramble "Would you like me to show to the library?" she asked after a moment.

"Actually" Belle took a deep breath before speaking again "Do you know where I can find Mr Gold, I need to talk to him" her palms felt clammy, why did she feel so nervous.

She watched as Mary Margaret thought for a moment "Well it's not rent day so he should be at his shop" she explained.

"Shop?" Belle asked, in shock more than of wonder where it was.

"His antique shop" Mary said as if it was obvious "Didn't you know?" she asked "it's more or less opposite the library".

"I haven't seen him in a while" Belle confessed, "Thanks for helping me but i have to go, maybe we could grab coffee some time?" she suggested, feeling Mary Margaret could be a good friend to have.

"Of course, I'll see you later" Mary Margaret nodded before she continued on her journey. At that Belle headed back to the parade of shops.

She saw the library under the beautiful clock tower, still she couldn't believe that she now owned it. Swivelling on her heels she looked up and down the street and still couldn't see it, or come to think of it the abandoned dress shop.

It was then that it hit her. The sign and writing was very small but she could make out the gold words on the black background. 'Gold's Pawnbroker and Antiques dealer'. She smiled, he'd bought the dress shop and turned it into his dream and he had his son. He was happy, or at least he thought he would be.

Looking left then looking right to make sure it was safe, she crossed the road, praying that the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't take flight. Her hands where once again starting to get clammy and she felt nervous, though not sure why.

After taking a few deep breaths she entered the shop, the door hitting a bell, making it ring lightly. "I'll be with you in just a moment" she heard a familiar Scottish brogue call from behind some curtains near the back of the store.

Belle looked around, it was just as she'd thought, every surface was covered in sort of antique, everyone had a story and was covered in a thin layer of dust, it was then that she noticed it, sitting on the counter.

There sat the tea set, the one that matched the tea cup she'd chipped. He was selling it, she guessed she couldn't judge him, it cost him money, still she thought he might want to keep it, perhaps to remind her of him, he probably wasn't that sentimental. she picked up one of the tea cups and held it close, perhaps she should buy it, she could be sentimental about it then when she didn't want to be she could smash it.

"Sorry but that's not for sale" His voice made her jump, but this time she kept a grip on the tea cup. she spun slowly on her heels to face him. "Belle" he breathed her name not believing that it was really her, she looked as beautiful as ever in her blue dress, brown belt and blue high heels with her hair half up and half down.

Meanwhile Belle eyed him in his dark suit, grey shirt and grey pocket square, looking as good as ever, very very good, she bit her lip before smiling "It seems I've bought a library" she told him as she put the tea cup back with its brothers and sister. "You wouldn't know anything about that?" she asked him.

"Uh Well" Gold look down at his shoes "I heard that Mayor Mills was looking for someone to open the library and I thought that there wouldn't be anyone better" he explained, still a little unsure of how she felt about the whole situation.

"Okay" Belle nodded "And you knew I'd come?" she asked, her fingers running along the cabinets leaving trails in the dust.

"Lucky guess" He shrugged his shoulders.

"You're shops beautiful" She told him with a soft smile "Has a lot of character, secrets, a lot like you" she sighed turning on her heels to face him again. "What's going on Robert?" she asked him, her voice full of emotion.

Gold shook his head "I honestly don't know" he sighed, "I'm sorry that I left the way I did" he explained taking a step towards the women "I didn't want to hurt you" he admitted "But we needed to get things together, _I_ needed to get my life together for B..."

"For Bae" Belle smiled "It seemed to have worked, I ran in to him this morning" she informed him before adding "Literally"

The older man smiled at the mention of his boy "When I got home, Milah told me that she had made a mistake and thought i would be the better parent for Baelfire, I moved us here and started this business" he explained "He needed a good stable life"

"And where do I fit into this?" Belle asked him.

Rubbing his hands on his trousers Gold sighed "I just want you to be happy" he admitted. "I thought that...But I guess I was..." he began to get frustrated so Belle stopped him. Moving forward to capture her lips with his in soft gentle kiss.

His hands naturally fell to her waist, pulling her closer before he ran his hands up her back while her hands ran through his hair, oh how it was as soft as she remembered.

After a few moments they broke apart, instead holding one another, her nose was buried in the crook of his neck while he dropped a kiss to her brown curls. it felt right, being in each other's arms, like they'd been together for years.

"You told Regina you were my boyfriend?" Belle spoke after a moment with a small giggle.

Gold shrugged, feel a little embarrassed "The Mayor assumed and who am I to correct her" he told her.

"Well now it's not far from the truth" She told him with a smile before reaching up and kissing him, he thought the exact same and smiled again before kissing her again. He would happily do that forever.

After a moment Belle moved away from him, her hand taking his and giving it a squeeze "I have to go, the library wont set itself up" she told him with a grin as she headed to the door.

"Belle wait" Gold called making her turn to face him "Would you like to have dinner with me later...and Bae" he suggested, wanting his son to meet the women he was falling in love with.

"I hear Granny's makes excellent burgers" was her only response.


	9. Chapter 9

"Papa can we go to the library after lunch?" Bae asked his father as he slurped on the last of his chocolate milkshake.

"We were only there this morning" His father complained as he nibbled on a chip that he'd not so subtly taken from his son's plate as the young boy had complained that he was full, something that was becoming impossible these days as he was a growing young boy so it seemed only granny's burger and fries would do.

"But Belle might be missing us" the boy almost complained.

"Or" Gold started, leaning across the booth, his elbow on the table "She might be getting sick of us?" he suggested half teasing and the other half were his real insecure surfacing.

It had been almost a year since Mr Gold and his son had moved to the town of Storybrooke after the elder Gold had discovered the sleepy mining and fishing village while being on a road trip with the beautiful women in the golden dress.

It had almost been a year since she had joined them in the little town and she and Gold had been in a relationship since. Bae and Belle had instantly hit it off and the little boy had been smitten ever since, splitting his time after and out of school at the library, pawnshop or with his best friend Emma Noland.

Gold was worried though, with all the time Belle spent with he and his son that perhaps it was too much, that she might be bored, might have felt tied down. He'd grown to know her and one big part of her was that she liked to be free, she wanted to travel, to decide her own fate. He just felt guilty that he might be hindering her chance of doing so.

"Nah!" Bae's almost musical giggle brought him back to reality. "Belle loves us" he assured his father, a hint of laughter still in his voice.

"You think?" Gold asked as he took the last sip of his cup of tea.

"She told me so" Bae assured his pap. Gold couldn't help but smile, had she really told her son that she loved him? what else had she told the eleven year old?

"So can we go to the library?" Bae asked once again.

"Sure" Gold nodded, "Why don't we bring her some lunch?" he suggested.

"Yeah!" Bae leapt up from his spot in the booth and made his way to the counter to make Belle's order.

...C\\_'/...

"Bless you" Belle mumbled as her two favourite boys walked into the library. The library had slowly been growing in popularity since she'd finally opened seven months ago and now it was busier than ever, sometimes she wished she could hire an assistant, just someone to take over so she could have five minutes to herself, to grab something to eat or to breath.

"Belle!" Bae beamed as he made his way over to his father's girlfriend, his arms open for a hug. The brunet beauty hugged the little boy close, he was just so sweet, so good natured but also so brave, so like his father.

Belle looked over to Gold, he gave her an uncharacteristic soft smile that he saved for just her and his son. "We brought you lunch" he spoke, offering her the brown paper bag from Granny's.

"Bae" the little boy turned to find Emma running towards him from in between a stack of books."I found the comic book you were after" she said grabbing the boys arm and dragging him in the direction of where she had just been.

Gold snickered to himself before going to stand next to Belle "Long day?" he asked her.

"Very" Belle sighed as she opened the bag of food he'd bought her "Thank you" she smiled "How's the shop?"

Gold sighed "Slow as usual, people only come in when they want me to do something for them"

The beauty shook her head "It's just the dark reputation you seem to have acquired" she told him.

"I do not have a dark reputation" Gold almost laughed. in response the librarian just realised a perfectly manicured eyebrow, "Maybe a little one" he then added.

"At least Bae and I know what a bug softy on the inside" she grinned, running a hand don his shirt covered chest.

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips "Now I wouldn't want you to go spreading rumours' of such things around town" he told her with a grin.

"Well how will you stop me from doing so?" she grinned, leaning up on her tip toes so that her face is millimetres from him.

"Oh I think I have some powers of persuasion" he said suggestively moving so his lips covered hers.

"Papa can I get this book?... I mean I know you let me take one out this morning but I really want it" Bae's voice made the two adults jump apart from one another.

Gold cleared his throat a couple "Of course Bae" he gave him a small smile before turning to the librarian "That's okay...right Belle"

"Yes, I'll just check you out...I mean the book" she smoothed down the creases in her dress before taking the book that the little boy offered before doing her magic on the computer.

"Thanks belle" Bae grinned as she handed him back the book.

"Come on Son, we have to get back to the shop and you have homework to do" Gold told his son with a smile as he tried to lead the boy out of the door.

Just as they were about to walk out of the door Bae turned to the brunette beauty "See you this evening Belle" he called to her.

"Well I..." Belle began, she had dinner with the two Gold men and stayed over often enough, in fact she found herself at the pink house more than she did her own apartment but it still felt weird, she didn't live there but she did, it wasn't home but it was in so many ways.

"He's making lasagne and you know how good that is" Bae almost begged.

"I'll bring dessert" she suggested.

"Ice cream?" the boy asked with big eyes.

"Of course" she grinned ruffling his hair. she then leant forward and did the brave thing and kissed Robert Gold on the lips in his son's presents. Gold was shocked by the peck on the lips so he almost forgot that Bae was present. The boy in question just giggled before dragging his father away. After all he had homework to do.

...C\\_'/...

"He plunged his right foot so deep into the earth that his whole leg went in; and then in rage he pulled at his left leg so hard with both hand that he tore himself in two" Belle finished reading before closing the leather book in her lap.

"Thanks for reading me a story" Bae said stifling a yawn as he snuggled further into his bed, the one she'd just tucked him into "You always know that the story of Rumplestiltskin is my favourite" he spoke once again yawning.

"Any time Bae, you know that" she told him, getting up from her place at the end of his bed, moving so she could kiss his forehead good night but his voice stopped her.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Mhmm" she replied as she tucked the blankets around the boy so he was comfy.

"Are you sick of Me and Papa?" his big eyes were deep brown, like a pool of chocolate, so dark but then with just flickers of light, just like his father's. Normally she couldn't resist their charm but she could see the genuine worry and sadness behind the darkness and it worried her.

"Of course not, never" she brushed his hair back from his face.

"You sure?" he asked her with a slight pout.

"More than sure, I promise that no matter what, I will always love you, both of you, forever" she assured pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too" Bae assured Belle. Since going to live with his dad a year ago he hadn't seen his mother, he'd spoken to her on the phone and got cards for his birthday and Christmas but lately Belle had been so much more of a mother to him and also had made his dad happy, something that hadn't truly happened in a long time.

"What made you ask such a thing?" she wondered, looking at him with warm, soft blue eyes.

"Papa said that if we kept spending time with you that you'd get sick of us" he told her innocently.

"Well I'll be sure to let him know so he never thinks something so foolish ever again" she assured "Now you sleep tight" she told him as she made her way to the door, turning on his night light on and shutting the door just as the boy fell asleep.

A few moments later and Belle found Gold sitting in the living room, flicking through the channels but coming up empty so turned the TV off and threw the remote on the coffee table. "How many stories did you want you to read him?" He asked as she came and sat down next to him on the leather sofa.

She admired him for a moment, he looked so much better with the jacket, tie and waste coat discarded and with his top button undone. So much more relaxed and at home, she wished more people than she and Bae got a chance to see him in his natural state.

"Just one" she told him as she leant against his shoulder.

His arm snaked around her shoulders so his thumb could rub up and down her arm in a soothing manor. "You ok?" he asked, the feeling that she had something on her mind, something she wanted to say.

"Yeah" she gave him a sigh, "It's just something Bae said" she began, her eyes meeting his "He said that you thought i was getting sick or bored of you both" she continued.

"Ah" Gold leant his head back for a moment "I just meant that...Well... you...I don't want you to be tied down by me and Bae" he took a breath "It's my fault that you're here...That your stuck here...I just assumed..." he was rambling like he did so often around her, his track of thought never clear around her. "My point is that I understand if you want to leave, to see the world...go on another adventure"

Belle shook her head "I don't want to leave... to go on an adventure" she told him as she shifted from his side to straddle his lap, her hands braced on his shoulders. "I love you" she finally admitted it to him "You and Bae are more than enough of an adventure and your what I want, both of you" she assured him, pecking him on the lips quickly.

Gold smiled, pulling her into a hug, relief leaving him, all his doubts washing away, "I love you too" he assured her.

"You saved me" she told him as she shifted once more to sit in his lap "I knew when I saw your Cadillac parked there that it was meant to rescue me, that you would take me from the life I almost had and show me the light"

"Oh Belle" He shook his head "You don't understand, i lost everything that day, my house, my job, my money, most importantly my son...I almost drank from that bottle of whiskey, I was in such a dark place and then when I was back there again on the dock, you kept to you promise and stopped me from going back and becoming the man I once had been" he confessed, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

"We are both different people than we were then" she told him "We are both chipped, but the best things are" she grinned as she looked at their chipped cup on top of the mantel piece.

Belle once again spent the night and did spend many nights after there under the same roof as he two favourite Gold men. Eventually maybe he would ask her to live with them perhaps even ask her to marry him, maybe Bae would get a sister and perhaps Belle and her father would reconcile. No one knew for certain what the future held but they were sure it would be full of fun and adventure. All they were sure was that the world would just keep spinning.

**AN: Thank you all for reading, I hope you liked this story and were satisfied with the ending. **

**Also I'd like to say that the story that Belle reads to Bae actually belongs to the fairy tale of Rumplestiltskin that I got from the leather bound edition of the grim fairy tales I got for christmas. **


End file.
